Blakehill Farm AFB

The crew was engaged in a training sortie in RAF Blakehill Farm. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the instructor simulated an engine failure. Probably following a misinterpretation and/or wrong judgement of the situation, the copilot shut down the second engine and feathered the wrong propeller. The aircraft lost speed, stalled an crash landed in a field located near the airbase. While all three occupants were unhurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The aircraft left RAF Blakehill Farm at 2230LT on June 5 to take part to the D-Day in Normandy. The crew was in charge to make a supply mission to the US 6th Airborne located east of Orne. After passing over Caen, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire. The captain decided to make an emergency landing in a field located in Giberville, in the east suburb of Caen. All eight occupants escaped and only one was injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (233th Squadron):
S/L Wright, pilot,
F/O Semple, copilot,
P/O Cowie, navigator,
F/O Williams, radio,
LAC Alexander,
LAC Ackley,
LAC Allen,
Cpl Owens.

The Dakota was taking part to the D-Day over Normandy and left RAF Blakehill Farm at 2317LT on June 5 with 4 crew members and several paratroopers on board. Over Calvados, all paratroopers bailed out and the crew continued at low altitude to join the K drop zone. On approach, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire. Two crew members, the navigator and the copilot, were able to bail out while the captain stayed in the aircraft with the air gunner who was injured and unable to bail out. The aircraft crashed in a field and while the air gunner was rescued, the captain was killed.
Crew (233th Squadron):
F/O Harvey Edgar Jones, pilot, †
F/Sgt J. A. Daldorph, copilot,
F/O L. H. Williams, radio navigator,
W/O N. Engleberg, air gunner.